3rd Belt And Road Forum Takes Place In Beijing

Rest Of The World | Infrastructure October 19, 2023

The 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in Beijing, China, from October 17 - 18, 2023. The global event was hosted by President Xi Jinping of China, and reportedly attended by representatives from 130 countries as well as some international organizations.

More specifically, the attendees of the forum included, among others, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, President William Ruto of Kenya, President Alberto Fernandez of Argentina, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, as well as United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The Belt and Road Initiative was launched by the Government of China in 2013. It is a global development program said to be aimed at, among others, creating air, maritime, and road economic corridors worldwide. Overall, the inititative is said to be centered on 5 cornerstones, namely, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, people to people exchanges, and policy coordination.

So far, China is said to have invested over $1 trillion in the Belt and Road Initiative, to implement some major infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and elsewhere. The projects include railways, ports, airports, highways, and power plants. Most recently completed project is Indonesia's first high-speed railway line. Built at a cost of $7.3 billion, the electrified double track high-speed railway line connects the cities of Jakarta and Bandung.

Photo: Jakarta - Bandung High-Speed Railway Line, Indonesia

An incredible initiative by China that should be embraced by all smart countries in Africa. Those countries still doubting it with all sorts of reasons, don't know what they are talking about or the factors behind their current economic circumstances!

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